Russian President Vladimir Putin “probably approved” the assassination of ex-spy
London: Russian President Vladimir Putin “probably approved” the killing of ex-secret agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, a British inquiry has found radiation poisoning is the reason of death, claiming British Authority.
Litvinenko, a Kremlin critic, was died of radioactive green tea at London’s Millennium Hotel in 2006.
British police have been identified two Russians, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun as prime suspects but attempts to extradite the pair have failed.
The FSB (Russian Intelligence Agency) operation to kill Mr Litvinenko was likely permitted by Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin and by Mr Nikolai Patrushev,” said Judge Robert Owen in his report.
Mr. Patrushev was the chief of Russian secret service and the secretary of the Russian Security Council.
The murdered agent was recognized as an enemy of the Kremlin and was died much less than a month after having tea laced with radioactive polonium.
When he was poisoned, He was with two Russian associates
“British scientists tested one of the last urine samples gathered from him and found excessive degrees of polonium, which was once used as a nuclear cause and is almost exclusively produced in Russia.”
The Judge’s finding today links the murder to the top levels of the Russian authorities.
The inquiry within the UK was based on a complaint by the agent’s widow, Marina, who, has testified that “her husband worked as an agent of MI6, the British Intelligence Agency.”
Mr Litvenko fled to UK from Russia in 2000 with his wife and son.